A Coach is Born

I was a well-rounded kid: I had straight-As, lots of friends, and I was generally pretty happy. Unfortunately, I was also “well rounded” in a very literal sense. Not a good beginning for a coach. Despite being quite active – joining all sorts of sporting activities in and out of school – poor eating habits made for an overall unhealthy lifestyle. I felt very much in control of things like homework assignments, projects, and maintaining strong relationships with family and friends. Deep down, however, I would feel a constant nagging that I wasn’t strong enough to control my weight and be healthy.

This all started to change in high school, when I began to make small changes in my food choices. Combining good diet choices with the punishing skills-and-drills regimen imposed by an ex-marine basketball coach, I noticed my weight started to drop. Thanks to these lifestyle changes I was much healthier by the time I graduated high school. Throughout my time in university – and for a few years after – I joined gyms on and off, and my weight fluctuated. Running on the treadmill and joining group exercise classes weren’t cutting it for me; I was easily bored, and was constantly tempted to skip a workout and do something “more productive” with those two or three hours I’d spend at the gym. I desperately needed to find a workout program that is challenging, effective, and – most importantly – would pique my interest and keep me coming back! Taking lots of time out of my day to work out was also a factor. Being an architect calls for long work days and a whole lot of sitting in front of a computer.

This is when I thought I’d give CrossFit a shot. I had heard a lot about it, but was intimidated by the amount of weightlifting and new gymnastic movements. I gathered some courage and walked into what I found to be the most inviting atmosphere I’d ever experienced. First class into my Essentials Program, I was hooked; exhausted and spent – but absolutely hooked! After that one class, I felt so strong to have endured such a difficult workout. I left the box with a huge smile on my face and came right back the next day. Just a few short months into it, I saw big results in my health and a massive progress in my fitness. I was approached by our coaches Joseph and Nathan to consider giving classes to newcomers since I had a strong grasp on the movements. This gave me an opportunity to give my love for teaching a whirl while sharing my story with people who had the same doubts in CrossFit as I once had.

The next step for me was to get my CrossFit Level 1 certification. With this certification I am now coaching a few main classes in our box. I love waking up in the morning, being a coach for the people committed to changing their lives. I couldn’t be happier. I’m constantly seeing positive results in our members and it’s an incredible feeling to be part of this fitness journey with them. We all work together and push each other to achieve our goals. This is the vibe of our box, and it’s exciting to see this community grow healthier and stronger. I hope I get to coach you soon!